David W Overaker

6371958, Apr 16, 2002

Mar 2, 2000

09/517602

David W. Overaker - Annandale NJ

Ethicon, Inc. - Somerville NJ

A61B 1784

606 72, 606151

The present invention provides a scaffold fixation device for fastening an articular cartilage scaffold to underlying bone, which device provides controlled loading of the cartilage scaffold.

6503259, Jan 7, 2003

Dec 27, 2000

09/748311

Shawn T. Huxel - Lawrenceville NJ
John McAllen, III - Point Pleasant NJ
David W. Overaker - Annandale NJ

Ethicon, Inc. - Somerville NJ

A61B 1708

606153, 606154, 606220, 2271791, 2271811, 227902, 411337, 411450, 411923

A surgical fastening system includes a fastener having a plurality of individual fastener pairs each having a piercing element with a pin that pierces the tissue to be repaired and a receiver portion that interlocks with the pin of a corresponding piercing element. A fastener dispenser holds the piercing elements and receiver elements in relative juxtaposition and in a predetermined geometric configuration, such as a circle. After the tissues to be joined are positioned between the piercing and receiving elements held in the dispenser, the dispenser is adjusted to draw the elements together capturing the tissue therebetween. The dispenser then pushes the piercing elements through the tissue and into the receiving elements causing the elements to interlock. Because the anastomosed junction is formed by a plurality of independent pairs, the junction retains flexibility. When used to anastomose a tubular organ, the fastener allows radial expansion of the organ permitting peristalsis.

6554862, Apr 29, 2003

Sep 28, 2001

09/966766

Jo Hays - Logan UT
David Overaker - Annandale NJ
Joseph Contiliano - Stewartsville NJ
Joseph H. Sklar - Longmeadow MA

Ethicon, Inc. - Somerville NJ

A61F 208

623 1314, 623 1311, 623 1315

A graft ligament anchor comprises a graft ligament engagement member disposed in an opening in a bone, the graft ligament engagement member being arranged to receive a graft ligament alongside the engagement member, and a locking member for disposition in the opening, and at least in part engageable with the graft ligament engagement member. Movement of the locking member in the opening causes the locking member to urge the engagement member, and the graft ligament therewith, toward a wall of the opening, to secure the graft ligament to the wall of the opening. A method for attaching a graft ligament to a bone comprises providing an opening in the bone, inserting the graft ligament and a graft ligament engagement member in the opening, with the graft ligament disposed alongside a first portion of the engagement member, and inserting a locking member in the bone alongside a second portion of the engagement member, the locking member being separated from the graft ligament by the graft ligament engagement member. The method further comprises moving the locking member to cause the locking member to engage the graft ligament engagement member to urge the graft ligament engagement member, and the graft ligament therewith, toward a wall of the opening to secure the graft ligament to the wall of the opening.

6575986, Jun 10, 2003

Feb 26, 2001

09/793029

David W. Overaker - Annandale NJ

Ethicon, Inc. - Somerville NJ

A61B 1756

606151, 606 72, 606213, 411508

A device for attaching a tissue replacement scaffold to a bone has a platform positionable in substantially parallel relationship to the bone for retaining the tissue scaffold proximate to the bone. A post extends from the platform and is insertable into a hole formed in the bone. One or more ribs extend from a side surface of the post along a portion of its length. The ribs are mounted on opposing flexible members and establish an interference fit relative to the hole in the bone tissue. The ribs are urged radially outwardly by the flexible members and have a sharp edge that grips the sides of the hole in the bone such that the ribs restrict withdrawal of the device. Vertical ribs may also be included to prevent rotation of the device within the hole in the bone.

6709436, Mar 23, 2004

May 22, 2000

09/575764

Ann Hover - Palos Verdes CA
Roy Sanders - Tampa FL
Donald Martin Sturgeon - Wilmington DE
Jerry Lower - Bourbon IN
Neil Cowley - Phillipsburg NJ
David Overaker - Annandale NJ
Charles Hoppe - North Plainfield NJ
Tom Poandl - Metuchen NJ

Depuy Orthopaedics, Inc. - Warsaw IN

A61B 1756

606 62

An intramedullary nail structure is formed with opposing dynamization windows, and spacers of a bioresorable material are positioned within the dynamization windows. The dynamization windows are longer than they are wide. The spacers may be integrally formed as a single insert. Tale nail is used with a bone fastener such as a bone screw which is advanced transversely through the bone and into the spacer, preferably in a bicortical attachment with the bone. The bone fastener is smaller across than the dynamization windows, so each spacer spaces the bone fastener relative to its dynamization window. As the spacers resorb, stress (at least in one direction) is increasingly transmitted through the fracture site rather than through the intramedullary nail. The positioning of the bone fastener, the shape and size of the dynamization windows and spacers, and the material of the spacers all allow design control over the type and amount of dynamization seen at the fracture site. Also, because the bone fastener is smallel across than the dynamization windows and spacers, a larger error in placement of the bone fastener is permissible.

6743232, Jun 1, 2004

Feb 26, 2001

09/793693

David W. Overaker - Annandale NJ, 08801
Joseph H. Contiliano - Stewartsville NJ, 08886

A61B 1756

606 72

A device for attaching a tissue replacement scaffold to a bone has a platform positionable in substantially parallel relationship to the bone for retaining the tissue scaffold proximate to the bone. A post extends from the platform and is insertable into a hole formed in the bone. One or more ribs extend from a side surface of the post along a portion of its length. The ribs have an increasing cross-sectional area to establish an increasing interference fit relative to the hole in the bone tissue. The ribs have a sharp edge that grips the sides of the hole in the bone such that the ribs restrict rotation or withdrawal of the device.

6808527, Oct 26, 2004

Mar 25, 2002

10/105763

Jerry L. Lower - Bourbon IN
David W. Overaker - Annandale NJ

DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc. - Warsaw IN

A61B 1772

606 62

An intramedullary nail has a dynamization opening that accommodates and utilizes a dynamization window insert. The dynamization window insert is press-fit into the dynamization opening. The dynamization window insert is oval shaped and includes first and second protrusions that extend from respective surfaces of the dynamization window insert. The dynamization opening is sized to receive the dynamization window insert but compress the protrusions/window insert during insertion. The dynamization opening includes channels or grooves that are sized to accommodate the protrusions and allow the protrusions/window insert to return to an uncompressed state when situated therein. The dynamization opening and window insert cooperate to allow a press fit of the window insert into the dynamization opening with an elastic snap-fit and audible sound.

6846313, Jan 25, 2005

Sep 22, 2000

09/667729

Laurel L. Rogers - N. Attleboro MA, US
Mariann Sayer - Seattle WA, US
David W. Overaker - Annandale NJ, US
Shawn T. Huxel - Lakehurst NJ, US
Kevin Cooper - Warren NJ, US
Dennis D. Jamiolkowski - Long Valley NJ, US
Joseph R. Thomas - Loveland OH, US

Codman & Shurtleff, Inc. - Raynham MA

A61B 1756

606 72, 606 76, 606 77, 411 41

A bioabsorbable rivet and pin fastener is formed as an elongated unit that may be used for anchoring, or for attachment of a fixation plate. The rivet has a head mechanically connected to two or more legs that extend generally distally from the head and may flex outwardly from a central rivet axis. The pin is integral with the rivet and oriented along the central axis by a connection such as a web or a plurality of braces, forming an integral, aligned, one-piece assembly that may, for example, be molded as a single piece. The connection breaks under force as the pin is driven into the rivet, so that the pin contacts internal surfaces of the legs and pushes the legs outward into frictional engagement with the surrounding bone. The one-piece assembly may be formed in a gated mold having a central pin with a relief passage that defines the braces between upper and lower portions of the rivet. The braces so formed at the weld line readily part from the mold, and are easily sheared when the pin is advanced during installation of the rivet.